This invention relates to a clamp for applying pressure to a skin region of the animal body. More particularly, the invention relates to a clamp especially useful for applying pressure to a skin region to prevent or control the flow of fluid through a puncture in a blood vessel or the skin, as may occur otherwise in connection with intravenous injection, blood drawing, or subcutaneous transfusion.
Venipuncture in loose skin regions, especially in small animals such as dogs and cats, frequently is accompanied by loss of blood which follows the needle out of the puncture in the vein and wells up beneath the skin to form a clot or hematoma, and also escapes through the puncture in the skin. When this happens, the vein cannot be located for a week or more, until the clot dissolves. Increasing difficulty in giving injections is experienced when daily treatments are required. The usual practice with small animals is to pinch the skin over a venipuncture with the fingers, commencing with the withdrawal of the needle and lasting for about two minutes. Bleeding still may occur, however, especially if the animal struggles.
Subcutaneous transfusions may be followed by a problem of leakage through the puncture in the skin, which is made with a larger needle, up to 14-16 gauge with the small animals. A large pressure pocket of fluid is present beneath the skin, which requires pinching the skin for a period of about 3-7 minutes for clot formation to close the hole. Leakage still may occur, however, especially if the animal struggles.